What's the Shrinkage, Heating Methods, and Time for Heat Shrink Tubing?

During the heating process, uniformly heat the tubing based on the suitable temperature range for each type of tubing. The heating direction should be slow from one end to another or from the middle towards both ends to prevent air from being trapped inside the heat shrink tubing, which could cause bulging. Excessive temperature can melt the heat shrink tubing and damage the product, while the insufficient temperature will not allow proper shrinkage onto the product.
You can refer to the following tools and the corresponding operating methods:

1. Heat gun: Easy and quick to operate. Some models allow temperature control adjustment. Suitable for thin-wall and small-sized products with low production volume.

2. Blowtorch: Suitable for outdoor use. Can quickly shrink medium to thick-walled and larger-sized tubing.

3. Lighter/hair dryer/hot water: For DIY and small-scale use.

4. Oven: Suitable for industrial purposes with a sealed and stable temperature.

5. Conveyor oven: For large-scale processing and covering of wire harnesses. Provides stable, continuous, and uninterrupted shrinkage with constant temperature, heating equipment that maintains production capacity.

6. Infrared heating equipment.

The heating and shrinkage time of heat shrink tubing depend on the material, size, wall thickness, and corresponding temperature and time. Certainly, the experience and skills of the installer can also affect the heating and shrinkage time of heat shrink tubing. It is important to note that the factors affecting shrinkage are not absolute, the appropriate heating tools and methods should be chosen based on specific circumstances.